Iyovprotests his friends’ assertion that Hashem does not punish those who do not deserve to be punish. He boldly states what most people know inherently: The righteous do indeed suffer, and evil people are rewarded. Furthermore, says Iyov, even the animals are aware of this reality. The desire to understand God as just has blinded Iyov’sfriends to the truth which is obvious to everyone else. However, as King Shlomo reassures us in Mishlei (28:8), the wicked who prosper in this world, those who get rich by inappropriate means, are merely accumulating wealth for the benefit of the righteous, as Hashem will ultimately ensure that it arrives in their possession.Comment

7 But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; The birds of the sky, they will tell you,

8 Or speak to the earth, it will teach you; The fish of the sea, they will inform you.

﻿ח אוֹ שִׂיחַ לָאָרֶץ וְתֹרֶךָּ וִיסַפְּרוּ לְךָ דְּגֵי הַיָּם׃

9 Who among all these does not know That the hand of Hashem has done this?

﻿ט מִי לֹא־יָדַע בְּכָל־אֵלֶּה כִּי יַד־יְהוָה עָשְׂתָה זֹּאת׃

10 In His hand is every living soul And the breath of all mankind.

﻿י אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כָּל־חָי וְרוּחַ כָּל־בְּשַׂר־אִישׁ׃

11 Truly, the ear tests arguments As the palate tastes foods.

﻿יא הֲלֹא־אֹזֶן מִלִּין תִּבְחָן וְחֵךְ אֹכֶל יִטְעַם־לוֹ׃

12 Is wisdom in the aged And understanding in the long-lived?

﻿יב בִּישִׁישִׁים חָכְמָה וְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים תְּבוּנָה׃

13 With Him are wisdom and courage; His are counsel and understanding.

﻿יג עִמּוֹ חָכְמָה וּגְבוּרָה לוֹ עֵצָה וּתְבוּנָה׃

14 Whatever He tears down cannot be rebuilt; Whomever He imprisons cannot be set free.

﻿יד הֵן יַהֲרוֹס וְלֹא יִבָּנֶה יִסְגֹּר עַל־אִישׁ וְלֹא יִפָּתֵחַ׃

15 When He holds back the waters, they dry up; When He lets them loose, they tear up the land.

﻿טו הֵן יַעְצֹר בַּמַּיִם וְיִבָשׁוּ וִישַׁלְּחֵם וְיַהַפְכוּ אָרֶץ׃

16 With Him are strength and resourcefulness; Erring and causing to err are from Him.

﻿טז עִמּוֹ עֹז וְתוּשִׁיָּה לוֹ שֹׁגֵג וּמַשְׁגֶּה׃

17 He makes counselors go about naked And causes judges to go mad.

﻿יז מוֹלִיךְ יוֹעֲצִים שׁוֹלָל וְשֹׁפְטִים יְהוֹלֵל׃

18 He undoes the belts of kings, And fastens loincloths on them.

﻿יח מוּסַר מְלָכִים פִּתֵּחַ וַיֶּאְסֹר אֵזוֹר בְּמָתְנֵיהֶם׃

19 He makes kohanim go about naked, And leads temple-servants astray.

﻿יט מוֹלִיךְ כֹּהֲנִים שׁוֹלָל וְאֵתָנִים יְסַלֵּף׃

20 He deprives trusty men of speech, And takes away the reason of elders.

﻿כ מֵסִיר שָׂפָה לְנֶאֱמָנִים וְטַעַם זְקֵנִים יִקָּח׃

21 He pours disgrace upon great men, And loosens the belt of the mighty.

﻿כא שׁוֹפֵךְ בּוּז עַל־נְדִיבִים וּמְזִיחַ אֲפִיקִים רִפָּה׃

22 He draws mysteries out of the darkness, And brings obscurities to light.

﻿כב מְגַלֶּה עֲמֻקוֹת מִנִּי־חֹשֶׁךְ וַיֹּצֵא לָאוֹר צַלְמָוֶת׃

12:22 He draws mysteries out of the darkness

The Hebrew words for “He draws mysteries” are m’galehamukot(מגלה עמוקות). The word m’galeh comes from the root legalot (לגלות), which means to reveal or discover. The same Hebrew letters are also found in the word galut(גלות), meaning exile or expulsion. This similarity is no mere play on words. Rather, according to Rabbi David Stavsky, a profound lesson emerges from the connection between these two words. “Nothing is more difficult for a human being than to be exiled from his native land, yet nothing can be more rewarding than discovering a way out of exile.” In the connection between the Hebrew words for exile and discovery, we see the great aspiration of the Jewish people to end their exile through the discovery of and return to their native homeland.Comment

23 He exalts nations, then destroys them; He expands nations, then leads them away.

﻿כג מַשְׂגִּיא לַגּוֹיִם וַיְאַבְּדֵם שֹׁטֵחַ לַגּוֹיִם וַיַּנְחֵם׃

24 He deranges the leaders of the people, And makes them wander in a trackless waste.

﻿כד מֵסִיר לֵב רָאשֵׁי עַם־הָאָרֶץ וַיַּתְעֵם בְּתֹהוּ לֹא־דָרֶךְ׃

25 They grope without light in the darkness; He makes them wander as if drunk.

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The Israel Bible is the world’s first Bible to highlight the Land of Israel, the People of Israel, and the unique relationship between them. The Israel Bible provides an original commentary which seeks to explain God’s focus on the Land of Israel. Read More